FNS-101: Disaster Assistance
FNS plays a vital role in providing supplemental nutrition assistance when disasters occur by coordinating with state, local, and voluntary organizations to: (1) provide food for shelters and other mass feeding sites, (2) distribute food packages directly to households in specific situations, (3) offer flexibility in nutrition assistance programs’ design and administration to continue providing benefits to participants in need, and (4) approve eligible states’ requests to operate a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
WIC During Disasters Factsheet
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is not designed to be a disaster assistance program, and is, therefore, not considered a first response option for disaster survivors. WIC policies allow state agencies flexibility in program design and administration to support continuation of benefits to participants during times of natural or other disasters. WIC state agencies are encouraged to work with state and local emergency services offices, as well as FEMA, to assist participants during a disaster.